What we’re about
Do you feel stranded in a concrete jungle of a city? Do you miss nature? Do you crave for adventure? Do you enjoy active holidays more than lazy hotel resorts on a beach? If you answer YES to any of those questions you’ve just found a right place and the right company :) In search of possibilities to spend time outside the city, we created this space for all like-minded people who would like to join us, and since adventure in a group is always more fun, help us make our own holidays a more amazing experience! We don’t mind missing a night out in clubs to get up at 4 am in the morning to go hiking. We enjoy carrying our rucksack rather than a Gucci bag and prefer swapping Louboutin stilettos for hiking shoes. And finally – we prefer walking a few kilometeres uphill than cruising along Sheikh Zayed Road in an air conditioned Porsche (well, most of the times anyway).
Join us on Facebook: Trekkup Dubai and Instagram #trekkup.
See yah soon!! xx
Upcoming events
75
Tribal Frontier feat. Shipbreaking Yards | Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
Sharjah International Airport, 25°19'40.44" N 55°30'50.24" E, Sharjah, AEFar less popular on the tourist trail than its neighbor India, but much more intriguing, Bangladesh remains a very little known corner of the world. You'll find a truly fascinating combination here: cultural immersion to discover untouched, remote tribes, but also brutality of modern industry at the one of the world’s largest ship breaking yards.
While 80% of the country is made up of fertile lowlands called the Bangladesh Plain, in the far southeastern corner of Bangladesh, bordering Myanmar, is the Chittagong Hill Tracts area, featuring green, undulating topography that is strikingly different, and incredibly scenic.
Here, in the Bandarban Hill District, it is not only the landscapes that are unique – many of the inhabitants are very different from the majority of Bengalis, making for a fascinating crossover between subcontinent and far east cultures. The first settlers of these hills were tribes from Myanmar, and today there are 11 distinct ethnic groups who are only found in the Bandarban area. Their lifestyle and culture differ greatly from those of the plains Bengalis, from their thatched bamboo huts to their distinctive languages, rituals, dress and handicrafts.
A visit to the Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard is a unique opportunity to see up close as giant cargo ships, oil tankers and other vessels are broken down, bit by bit…there aren’t many places in the world where we can get access to a place like this! This cemetery of steel and iron, with monster ship carcasses in various stages of decay, is a sight to behold.
Let’s go!
Day 1: Bandarban – Golden Temple, Tribal Village, Nilachal
Arrival to Chittagong Airport; meet the team and drive to Bandarban. After some lunch, we’ll set out to discover the area. First stop is Golden Temple, an impressive, glittering gilt structure housing the massive Buddha Dhatu Jadi statue. The temple belongs to the Theravada Buddhism order, which is practiced by the Marma indigenous people, the dominant ethnic group in the Bandarban area. Next we visit the Tanchangya tribe, who earn their living cultivating the land. They are known for their traditional costumes and ornaments, and Tanchangya women can be easily spotted because of their unique dress and hairstyle.
Later we’ll head to Nilachal, high up in the hills about 1600 to 2000 feet above sea level. From here we’ll have stunning views of the surrounding area, the city of Bandarban, as well as Cox’s Bazar beach, and enjoy a magnificent sunset.
Day 2: Bandarban – Chimbuk & Nilgiri, Tribal Villages
After breakfast, we’ll set off to capture more amazing views. Chimbuk is the third largest mountain in Bangladesh, and its peak lies up a winding road overlooking the hills and towns below. Next we’ll head to Nilgiri, a popular resort area and a place of spectacular beauty.
In the afternoon, we’ll get to know the diverse local peoples a bit better. First stop is the village of the Tripura indigenous people, who subsist on slash-and-burn farming in the remote hills and valleys. This small Animistic and Hindu ethnic group only numbers around 60,000 people, but clings proudly to its traditional ways.
We’ll stop at the Shaila Prapat waterfall before heading to Bawm tribal village, home to a group hailing from Chin state in western Myanmar. The group’s first wave of migration to Bangladesh took place more than 500 years ago, and today 200 Bawm families live in the Bandabar area, facing much discrimination due to their Christian faith.
Last is the village of the Mru (or Murong) people, also originally from Myanmar, who left their homeland due to invasions by rival tribes and colonisation by the British. This peaceful Buddhist society relies on hunting and bamboo crafting, and values the preservation of its unique cultural traditions.
Day 3: Chittagong – Potenga Beach, Ship Breaking Yard
We’ll head to Chittagong, making a stop at the Bandarban hanging bridge on the way. After a couple hours’ drive we’ll get some sea views at popular Patenga Beach.
In the afternoon we’ll enjoy a truly unique experience, witnessing the dismantling of iron and steel giants at the Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard. Once the world’s largest, the scale of industry at this ship breaking yard is truly astounding, the site teeming with over 200,000 workers taking apart and salvaging materials from vessels from around the world.
After dinner we’ll head to the airport, saying bye-bye to Bangladesh after a fascinating few days of discovery.
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Level of difficulty: Easy available for everyone.
Activities: short trekking, sightseeing, boating, cultural immersion.
Accommodation & meals: 4 star hotel double sharing, meals included except breakfast D1 and dinner D3.
Cost: AED 4670 incl. flights, until DEC 05.
Requirements: mosquito repellent, trekking shoes, your best lenses. No check in luggage on this trip.
Excluded:
- any costs related to visa,
- meals as mentioned
Visa: Most of nationalities get visa on arrival at 50-55 USD.
Visa cost is not included in trip budget. Admission to country of destination is at strict responsibility of traveler.
See yah in Bangladesh x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 00971 50 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup3 attendees
Walk in the Wake | Weekend in Syria
Dubai International Airport Terminal 2, Al Quds Street, Dubai, AEWelcome to Syria, home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world and rich with artistic and cultural heritage. From its ancient roots to its recent political instability and civil war, the country has a complex and turbulent history. The country has many treasures, but this three-day weekender manages to cover a selection of Syria’s highlights that will fascinate, delight, and provide insight into this ancient land and its people.
In this historical crossroads, archaeologists have uncovered human remains dating back 700,000 years – even before the time of the Neanderthals. The city of Elba, thought to have existed around 3,000 BC, is one of the world’s oldest settlements ever to be excavated, while the famed Damascus is the world’s oldest continuously inhabited capital city. Even the ancient language of Aramaic is still spoken here!
Invasions and occupations through the ages resulted in a who’s who of ancient empires making their mark on this land. These include the Egyptians, Hittites, Sumerians, Mitanni, Assyrians, Babylonians, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Mongols, Crusaders…and more! A melting pot for millennia, today it is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Shia and Sunni Arabs, the last making up the majority of the Muslim population.
There is no escaping the fact that the Syrian people have suffered greatly in recent decades, enduring military coups, a 50-year dictatorship, and brutal civil conflict resulting in death and destruction – and more than six million Syrians fleeing the country.
The future of the country is still being determined, but visit Syria today and you will find a destination of fascinating ancient landmarks, delicious cuisine, proud heritage and traditions, and welcoming locals who are eager to share their culture.
Let’s go!
Day 1 // Arrival – Bosra – Damascus
Arrival in Damascus and completion of immigration formalities. Wasting no time, we’ll hop in our van and head to the southern city of Bosra, the first Nabatean city around 2,000 BC. Later, Bosra became a prosperous provincial capital during the Roman era, flourishing into a metropolis and a major center for food production and coin minting. Bosra is said to have played an important role in the life of Mohammed, as described in accounts by the Christian monk Bahira – the Assyrian monk who is said to have foretold to the young Mohammed his future as a prophet. Today, Bosra is regarded as a major archaeological site and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Continue to Damascus for overnight.
In the evening, we’ll enjoy the city after dark, savoring delicious Syrian food and perhaps a drink in one of its lively bars.
Day 2 // Ma’aloula – Krak des Chevaliers
After breakfast, we leave Damascus and head to the village of Ma’aloula. Here we will visit the Greek Orthodox Convent of Saint Thecla and walk the mountain path that bears the saint’s name. Next is the Church and Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, one of the oldest such sites in Syria, believed to date back to the 3rd or 4th century. Today, it is one of the only places in the world where scholars can still study Aramaic, the ancient language of Christ.
We’ll then hit the road again for the two-hour drive to the impressive Krak des Chevaliers, or "Fortress of the Knights,” one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the world. Crossing the moat, entering the dungeons, and climbing the ramparts, we’ll explore this fascinating remnant of the past, founded in the 11th century and once occupied by Crusader forces.
On the way back to Damascus, we’ll stop for dinner in Homs, a city made infamous by the three-year siege between the Syrian military and rebel opposition, which resulted in widespread destruction of entire neighborhoods.
Day 3 // Damascus – Departure
Our trip would not be complete without visiting the oldest continuously inhabited capital city on Earth. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Damascus’ historic center is surrounded by Roman-era walls punctuated by seven ancient gates. As we wander the streets of the Old City, it’s easy to imagine a time when Silk Road traders arrived to barter and sell their wares.
Our first stop will be Azem Palace, a masterpiece of traditional Damascene architecture. Built in 1750 by the Ottoman governor, it is now a cultural and folklore museum where we will learn about Syrian history, customs, clothing, and more. The rest of the day will be spent exploring the city’s major historic and religious landmarks, including the Umayyad Mosque, Straight Street, the House of Saint Ananias, Khan As’ad Pasha Caravanserai, Al-Buzuriyah Souq, and Souq Al-Hamidiyah.
We’ll have some free time for souvenir shopping before heading back to Damascus Airport for our flight home.
Grade: Easy – available for everyone.
Activities: Cultural immersion, sightseeing.
Cost: 5,300 AED all incl. flights, until DEC 07.
Accommodation & Meals: 5 star hotel - double sharing, meals excluded.
Specifically Excluded: Visa expenses, meals.
Visa:
Visa on arrival / e-visa for all passports. Several nationalities such as Egypt or Russia require OK to board.
It is sole responsibility of participant to secure entry to country of destination.
See yah in Syria x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup4 attendees
The Rainbow Island | Weekend on Hormuz Island + Bandar Abbas, Iran
Dubai Airport Departures Terminal 2, Al Qusais, Dubai, AEThe “Rainbow Island” of Hormuz has earned its nickname from the many colours of the surrounding waters due to high concentration of iron oxides and the darker sand below which makes the waves take on intense red hues.
The smallest of the Iranian islands along the Hormuz Strait at mere 42 square kilometres makes Hormuz the wildest and least populated of the chain with some of the most pristine beaches around! The entire reservoir of the island is salty due to high humidity and lack of rainfall with the only fresh water pumped from nearby Bandar Abbas. Lucky for Hormuz this water has fed the growing white mangroves and Hara trees in such a harsh climate.
With such high concentrations of salt, the island is filled with such curiosities and formations throughout, from salt caves with odd formations, landscapes of colourful red slopes, and the flagship of Rainbow Valley with its hills of intense reds, oranges, and yellows covered with an efflorescence of salt. With such a mosaic of colours you’ll think you’re in a fairy tale!
Nature plays the artist, and the locals have a style for names with the Saffron River Valley, Snowy Mountains, and Turquoise Goddess just a few of our many stops. With such an artistic flair the island even has a sand painting festival, we’ll surely see their works in coloured sand on the slopes.
Life on the island, especially for its 7000 inhabitants, still follows the patterns of tradition, speaking a mix of Farsi, Hindi, Arabic, and English. We’ll wander the labyrinth of streets with stops at the 16th century Portuguese fortress Ghal’e-ye Portoghaliha and the “Presence of Hormuz” with its multi-coloured domes.
To reach the island we travel to mainland Iran on direct flight to Bandar Abbas where we’ll catch a glimpse of the city and nearby Khorasan.
We invite you to open the next unknown chapter of Iran!
Let's go!!
Day 1 // Bandar Abbas
Meeting in Terminal 2 at 15:00 for direct flight to Bandar Abbas at 17:00. First stop will be Hindu temple and relax in old Hammam. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 2 // Hormuz Island
After breakfast we’ll hop on boat to Hormuz Island with first stop at the Portuguese fort. Afterwards we’ll take in the colours at rainbow cave, work up a thirst at the Goddess of Salt and browse the Valley of Statues, and few stops along the way. Evening return to Bandar Abbas for yet another visit to the spa.
Day 3 // Khorasan
Today we head to Khorasan with the salt cave of Khorasan Siaho with its salt waterfall, varied cressets and salt columns and a few curiosities along the way. In the evening we’ll return to airport for flight back home.
Activities: Boating, trekking, sightseeing, swimming.
Duration: Weekend FRI - SUN
Accommodation and meals: hotel double sharing, meals included.
Cost: 3,650 AED all incl. flights until NOV 23rd - cash payment during briefings only.
Specifically excluded: Visa cost (we will apply on your behalf), insurance.
VISA:
No more passport stamps in Iran. Most nationalities are eligible for E-visa.
UK, USA, Canada – visa lead-time min. 45 days.
See yah on Rainbow Island x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 0504848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup2 attendees
City of One Thousand Tales | Weekend in Baghdad + Samarra, Iraq
Dubai Airport Departures Terminal 2, Al Qusais, Dubai, AEBaghdad, a city of uber rich history, mix of races and religions that extends for centuries, has been often referred as a Cradle of Civilization, New Babylon or even Gate of Gods. It is indeed the original trading hub of the Islamic Empire and the birthplace of cosmopolitanism, where cultures collided peacefully and created one of the first learning center for the rest of the world, in a form of Mesopotamian arts, science and literature
Today, over short walk you can experience here The Tales of the “One thousand and one nights” with Shehrazad statue sitting on the riverside of Tigris and watching the old streets and markets, pass by worship places from the shrine of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, Abu Hanafieh al-Nu’man to the Church of the Virgin Mary and all the way into busy streets of bustling modern metropolis, that has already forgotten the recent years trouble and craving to enter new golden era.
Let's go!
Day 1 // Friday
Meeting at Dubai Terminal 2 for a direct flight to Baghdad; arrival, immigration procedure, dinner, overnight in the hotel.
Day 2 // Saturday
After breakfast we will take a short drive to visit the Martyr Monument dedicated to Iraqi soldiers who died in 80’s Iraq-Iran war, Iraqis today generally consider it a commemoration of all the martyrs of Iraq.
Continue to remaining ruins of what has been appointed as Babylon – cradle of Mesopotamian civilization dated 18th - 6th BC, with the Hanging Gardens, that were supposed to be attached to the Palace of King Nebuchadnezzar. Appointed as Seven Wonders of Hellenic World, have presence in various literature sources but its physical existence has never been proven.
Located nearby Babylon, in fact overlooking it from atop a hill, stands proudly Saddam's Palace. Once a symbol of dictatorship powers, today covered with graffiti, is a remarkable symbol of passing away and indicates a warning to future generations.
Next point on our map is Babylon Theater, one of the most important Hellenistic monuments in the city and Mosque Al-Kadhimiya Shrine (Golden Dome) - the tomb of Imam Musa al-Kadhim and his grandson, Imam Muhammad al-Jawad, one of the most prominent Muslims and the seventh imam of Twelver Shiites.
Dinner, overnight in the hotel.
In the evening, check on the local nightlife.
Day 3 // Sunday
Check out from the hotel and hit the road to the city of Samarra. We will visit Samarra spiral minaret - one of the prominent distinctive landmarks of Iraq, due to its characteristic shape of the ascending spiral conical design.
After lunch, last point of our journey will be Save the Iraqi cutler monument. The monument is a broken and crumbling cylindrical stone column representing Iraqi culture. Souvenir shopping on the way to airport and fly back home.
Level of difficulty: Easy, available to everyone
Activities: sightseeing and getting amazed with uber rich Iraqi culture
Rooms & meals: 4 star hotel - sharing. Meals excluded.
Cost: 3,850 AED incl. flight until DEC 11. Payment by cash only, during briefings.
Specifically excluded: Meals, visa.
Visas:
Western passports: e-visa or pre-arranged visa at 180 USD. More info here.
Other passports: visa lead-time minimum 2 weeks, 180 USD.
See yah in Baghdad x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238 / info@trekkup.com
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup9 attendees
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